Is there anything more magical than creating a human? Who knows. Maybe the exact night you "started the process" wasn't particularly earth-shattering. But when you spend the next 40 weeks conjuring cells to form a blob that turns into a baby, well, that's pretty frickin' magical. It might be the universe's best magic trick . Let's see David Copperfield, David Blaine, or any other famous magician summon life out of thin air. Amirite?! Of all the alchemy in the universe, creating a baby might just be the most powerful spell — so, magic baby names feel especially fitting.
It's a big responsibility to come up with the perfect thing to call your little one. You want to choose something with meaning — something that might imbue your baby with a trait or quality that will help them make their way through this great big world. And if our collective obsession with Harry Potter has taught us anything, it's that magic is all around us. What better way to nod to that than with a magical baby name? Maybe it'll give your kid a mystical edge in life.
The following bold suggestions are pretty uncommon but absolutely enchanting. With that said, keep reading if you want to give your baby a name that feels like a special incantation.
01 Aelfdene Your child's teacher will be impressed by this mystical moniker, and none of the other kids in their class will have this name. Aelfdene is pronounced Ay-a-lef-den. This whimsical name comes from English origin and translates to "from the Elfin valley." It is definitely a unique choice for your little girl (or boy).
02 Aladdin Aladdin is more than your favorite faux Disney prince. His name also holds a lot of significant meaning. In Arabic, it means "height of religion” and apart from the Disney movie, the tale of Aladdin is also from the Middle Eastern tale called The Arabian Nights . And if you are looking to shorten this magical name, call your little one Aldin.
03 Albrun This ancient Germanic girl’s name looks and sounds like the word "auburn," so it won't be altogether unfamiliar. However, Albrun means "magical elf" or "shining magic.”
04 Ambrose This name comes from the Greek word “ambrosia,” the divine nectar of the gods. So, the fact that it means “immortal” makes sense — ancient Greeks believed whoever consumed the food of the gods would have everlasting life. Another magical connection? It’s the name of a character in Netflix’s dark magic series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina .
05 Arabella In Latin, this charming name means "prayerful" or "yielding to prayer." Then in German and Spanish, it means "eagle heroine" and "little Arabian woman," respectively. And in English, it means "beautiful." The name Arabella is so mystical that it has significance in multiple languages, which truly is magical.
06 Bruxo We don’t talk about Bruxo — but we should! This Portuguese twist on Bruno means “wizard.” That’s right; Encanto went that deep .
07 Bormey Rooted in Khmer, the girl’s name Bormey simply means “magical power.”
08 Calypso Doesn’t Calypso remind you of beach vacations and warm salty air? Calypso was actually the name of a nymph in Greek mythology . The name means “she who conceals.”
09 Circe The Odyssey is filled with cool sorcery and fantastic adventure. The name Circe hails from this classic. He was the villain who turned Odysseus and his crew into pigs; in Greek, this name means bird.
10 Cosmo Just a few years ago, this name may have seemed super unexpected. But it’s shared by three figures in pop culture — (Cosmo) Kramer from the iconic series Seinfeld , a character from the popular kids’ cartoon The Fairly OddParents , and the son Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost welcomed in 2021. It’s not such an out-there now! Although it technically means “beauty, order,” it feels magical thanks to its intergalactic vibe.
11 Cullen If you want a name with magical underpinnings that still feels mainstream, Cullen could be for you. It sounds like the oh-so-popular pick Cohen but is more unique. And although it means “holly tree,” the name is primarily associated with a famous family from the magical Twilight saga .
12 Cyfrin Looking for a magical, mystical name with a -y in it? The Welsh have you covered. Cyfrin means “mystic.”
13 Dahud Need a name fit for a princess? According to the Celts, Dahud was the princess of Ys, a sunken city. The name means “good magic.”
14 Elendil What? You didn’t really think you’d get outta here without a Lord of the Rings name , did you? Elendil means “elf friend” or “student of the stars” in Quenya (aka Tolkien’s language of the elves).
15 Elysia From Latin, Elysia means “from Elysium” — the place in mythology where heroes go after dying.
16 Faye You can spell this as Fay or Faye, and it still means the same thing: fairy. You’ll have to hunt down a kid-friendly version of the legends of King Arthur, so you can tell your little fairy about the sorceress she’s named after, Morgan le Fay.
17 Galdur This gem sounds fantastical, but it’s actually Icelandic. Galdur literally means “magic.”
18 Gandulf No, no — this isn’t another LOTR suggestion. Gandalf is from Tolkien. Gandulf, however, is ancient Germanic and means “magic wolf.” Which, c’mon, might be even more badass than the wizard.
19 Gondul Believe it or not, Gondul is not the name of an elf in some Tolkien fantasy. Gondul was a Norse Valkyrie, and the name means “magic” in ancient Scandinavian. Sounds perfect for your future shieldmaiden!
20 Guinevere Oh, you know, just another Arthurian name. Guinevere is French and Welsh. The name means “blessed magical being.” And, yes, there are several well-known ways to spell the moniker.
21 Gwydion While this Welsh name (which kind of sounds like Gideon) actually means “born of trees,” it’s still pretty magical. Plus, Gwydion was a powerful magician in Welshman lore.
22 Kessem This two-syllable name is perfect for your baby boy. Not only does it mean "magic" in Hebrew, but it also means "predicting."
23 Kimaya This name, which means “magic” and “sleight of hand,” has Marathi origins and comes from India.
24 Magus Magus looks like the word “mage,” and it holds a similar meaning — this popular-in-Scandinavia name means “sorcerer.” Do it, Mama!
25 Odin Odin wasn’t just Thor’s dad. He was also the god of magic, wisdom, and battle, according to Norse mythology.
26 Ramil Ramil comes directly from the Arabic word for “magical, wonderful.” And thanks to actor Rami Malek, Ramil no longer seems so unheard-of.
27 Sabrina Sabrina is not only the name of the super popular, sassy, and adorable teenage witch, but a name with diverse roots. It comes from Celtic, English, Latin, and Italian origin and was typically used to refer to someone from the Cyprus or Severn river area. Sabrina may not have a magical meaning, but it does mean "legendary princess."
28 Seksan Meaning both “peaceful” and “magical,” this Thai name certainly carries a lot of weight.
29 Taika You might be somewhat familiar with the name Taika, thanks to famed director Taika Waititi. You pronounce the Finnish version of the name TAH-ee-kah, which means “magic.”
30 Zinta How is Zinta not more popular? This cute, sassy girl’s name means magic in Latvian. Obsessed!
31 Vanir The Vanir were ancient Norse sorcerers and magicians. If Vanir seems like “too big” of a name for a little kid, you could always shorten it to just “Van.” That’s a solid and somewhat common nickname.
This article was originally published on April 22, 2022